It’s been a while since I last wrote. I made it through a whole six weeks without bothering you all with another 5 pages. And I can’t really claim that I ‘made it’ through a whole month. I’ve been involved in a few personality conflicts which combined with the heat stopped me sleeping too well.… Continue reading Ablutions
Category: Japan
Alone
I’d really been looking forward to a BBQ at the beach the following weekend, but even that became a frustrating experience. It was organised by the company volleyball club – the only place I’d found untainted by gaijin – and I was looking forward to being able to swim, eat good food and get to… Continue reading Alone
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The third Monday of July is Ocean Day, and I was blessed with a long weekend. My hours had been building steadily since I’d arrived, and I was often required to work weekends – you can’t upgrade a phone or voice-mail system while people are using them. This was a rare chance to take a… Continue reading ãŠç¥ã‚Š
Summer, Music, Crime
JAPANESE SUMMER I’m writing to try and wake myself up. I refused the Korea network project because as far as I could see it required someone to be on site full time for a couple of months. I’m still settling in here so I didn’t want to spend my time traveling back and forth, or… Continue reading Summer, Music, Crime
犯罪
Japan is a safe country. Women and children walk unlit streets at night, confident that there won’t be anyone with a knife or a gun lurking. Each day, thousands of mama chari – mums’ bikes with a ladies frame and a basket on the front that are used by everyone, even sarariiman – are left… Continue reading 犯罪
Settling In
Phase 1 is over so I have a bit of time to myself – time to write to friends. I have been working on an int’l project in an area I have little experience in. I had 2 weeks to make a decision on which computer to use, and while the list of 5 was… Continue reading Settling In
家
I had mixed emotions when I moved into my apaato at the end of May. Not having a permanent address over the last couple of months, I’d learnt that a home is more than a room with a collection of possessions. It’s more even than the memories of those favourite objects gathered over the years,… Continue reading 家
転勤
From my hotel, I looked out on an extensive array of blue roofs. They weren’t a happy symbol, huddled together like a concentration camp while the meagre possessions of the occupants spilled into the alleys between. Each shack, I’d learned on a business trip the year before, housed a family who’d lost their home in… Continue reading 転勤
Negotiations
COMPENSATION My second day of looking around was much more enjoyable. I was offered a new salary, and they did more than just add 2 zeros! I’m sure I’m getting a better deal than I did in Australia, but the way they present it is so confusing that it could just be that I’ve compared… Continue reading Negotiations
Health Check
I’ve got a room right next to the lifts. Which is good if you don’t like walking far. I don’t mind (walking that is). What I notice most about this spot is the ‘pin pong’ of the lifts as they approach my floor and the ones above and below me. (Dad, every time I hear… Continue reading Health Check